If you really, really have nothing to do with your time, then you should attend the noonday Friday prayers at the mosque and listen to the imam lament about the enemies of Islam who all have an agenda to destroy Islam. If not, then don't waste your time. Do something else instead.

Yes, non-Muslims are the enemies of Islam, according to these imams, and they are all united in their effort to 'kill' Islam.

Actually this is not true at all. The enemies of Islam, at least in Malaysia, are the Malays themselves. The only thing is the Malays are just too bodoh (stupid) to realise this. Malays say that there are two types of bodoh. One is bodoh sepat - you pretend to be stupid but are actually very devious. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would probably fit this bill. He pretends to be bodoh but is actually very crafty. The second is bodoh sombong - you are actually very stupid but are too stupid to realise that you are stupid and think you are very clever.

Most Malays fall into this category of bodoh sombong.

On 17th and 18th January 2008, a case is going to be heard in the Kuala Lumpur High Court. I was told this is the new courthouse near the Wilayah Persekutuan Mosque along Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur. A woman is suing the Malaysian government, the Federal Territory Religious Department (JAWI) and RELA (a volunteer paramilitary force that is infamous for extorting immigrant workers of their hard-earned money), plus one or two other Malaysian government agencies. Karpal Singh is the solicitor for the plaintiff, which promises to be a very exciting case indeed considering Karpal is known to take no prisoners.

It seems this woman, a Muslim, was arrested during a 'vice raid' on a certain disco in Kuala Lumpur. She was an employee of that disco and, according to the 'rules', Muslims are not supposed to work in any establishment that sells liquor. So, for that 'crime', she was arrested together with about 16 or so other Muslim men and women.

Now, when the authorities issued the disco its licence, it was not stipulated anywhere in that licence that any establishment selling liquor is prohibited from employing Muslim staff. If this is the law then certainly our national airline, MAS, would have to retrench all the Malay staff and employ only non-Muslim Chinese, Indians, Portuguese, Dayaks, Kadazans, etc., because MAS serves liquor. Not only the cabin crew would have to be sacked but the entire staff including the ticketing staff, administration staff, accountants, managers, board of directors, and so on, would have to go.

The 'haram' ruling would not only affect those directly involved in serving the liquor on-board the flights but anyone whomsoever even remotely linked to the organisation. I mean, the 'criminal' is not only the stewards and stewardesses who serve the liquor but anyone who may be 'collaborating' with the stewards and stewardesses to make it possible for the stewards and stewardesses to serve liquor on-board the flights. So, those who sell the tickets and those who check you in and those who handle your baggage and those who usher you to the plane and those who sit in the office to count the money and those who sit in the boardroom to conduct meetings, and many more, are 'partners-in-crime' and would also have to leave the organisation.

If you drive the car that the bank robbers used to rob the bank you too would be arrested for bank robbery although you just sat in the car and did not walk into the bank to rob it. If you lent the bank robbers the car that they used to rob the bank then you too would be arrested for bank robbery although you did not follow them to the bank but just stayed home. If you lent the bank robbers the guns they used in the bank robbery you too would be arrested for bank robbery although you did not follow them to the bank but just stayed home. If you gave the information to the bank robbers on when and how they should rob the bank so that they can maximise their takings and make a successful getaway you too would be arrested for bank robbery even though all you did was just offer them information and did not actually take part in the robbery.

Yes, all of them would be regarded as being part of the bank robbery ring even though their only role was to assist the bank robbers in pulling off a successful bank robbery and did not actually take an active part in the robbery and were not even there.

So, are Muslim waiters and waitresses who work in discos committing a crime?

Yes, according to the Federal Territory Religious Department who arrested 17 or so Muslim staff who were working in a disco in Kuala Lumpur. And all except one pleaded guilty and paid the RM400 fine. One, however, decided to sue the Malaysian government, the Religious Department, RELA and two other government agencies for RM5 million. And Karpal Singh is handling the case.

According to the police report that this Muslim woman made, which is the basis of the suit, she plus all the others were handcuffed and placed in the police truck. After some time she needed to answer the call of nature and requested permission to go to the toilet. However, they refused to allow her to go to the toilet and asked her instead to just pee in the truck.

This woman could not hold her bladder and had no choice but to pee there and then. Her colleagues helped guard her modesty by placing a scarf in front of her so that she could at least have some privacy. But the RELA officers pulled away the scarf and started taking photographs of her peeing, of course with her private parts fully exposed.

In the police station, the men were separated from the women. The women were then taken to a secluded part of the police station and photographed. But they were not photographed in the normal 'criminal' way with their numbers on their chest and so on. Instead, they were told to assume sexy positions -- bend forwards, backwards, sideways, etc. Basically, they were asked to pose in erotic and sensuous positions for the benefit of the cameras, sort of like the centrefold of Playboy or Penthouse, if you know what I mean.

Then the women were told they could avoid getting charged by settling the case 'outside court' in exchange for sexual favours. All they had to do was drop their panties and after a quickie they would be allowed to go home without any further action taken against them.

Actually, this sort of thing is not new. This has been going on for more than 30 years. Why do you think these perverts fall over each other and rush to sign up as RELA guards? And they would drop everything and volunteer their time free-of-charge to participate in a 'vice raid'. Of course, they will tell their wives and children they only have the interest of Islam at heart in arresting 'immoral' Malay men and women who work in discos that serve liquor. Their interest is only to protect the dignity of Islam. Yeah, sure, and I with five children and four grandchildren am still a virgin.

No, if you have free time on your hands don't waste it by going to the noonday Friday prayers to listen to the imam scream, rant and rave about the enemies of Islam plotting against Islam in their secret agenda to destroy Islam. Instead, go to the Kuala Lumpur High Court at Jalan Duta on 17th and 18th January 2008 and hear the case that Karpal Singh is going to argue. Hear how the 'moral police' -- officers of the Federal Territory Religious Department and RELA -- round up women and photograph them nude and demand sex as out of court settlement.

Yes, these are the upholders of the dignity of Islam.

These are the defenders of Islam. These are the officers of Islam Hadhari, the new Islam, the invention of Abdullah Badawi. Now do you know why the non-Muslims fear the prospects of Malaysia being turned into an Islamic State? Hey, I don't blame them. If this is the Islam they are talking about then I too fear Malaysia being turned into an Islamic State. I fear my wife and daughter getting picked up by these perverts because they are perceived as dressing too sexily and then being asked to grant these 'officers of Islam' sexual favours as out of court settlement.

Hmm, this reminds me of another RELA officer from Terengganu whom I personally knew who raped and murdered a Malay schoolgirl. They eventually hanged him of course but this did not bring the unfortunate schoolgirl back to life. I suppose after getting horny from photographing waitresses in the nude they need to let off some steam by raping schoolgirls and then murdering them after that to prevent them from talking.

Yes, let us all go to the Kuala Lumpur High Court at Jalan Duta on 17th and 18th January 2008 and take a good look at the defenders of the dignity of Islam, those 'moral police' who arrest Malay girls and boys who work in discos and then photograph them in the nude and then demand sex as out of court settlement.

[NOTE: Access to Malaysia Today has been erratic. I wasn't able to get in all of yesterday, despite using several alternative IP addresses. Today I had no problem, but who knows what games Umno/BN will be playing with RPK, whom they blame for the political tsunamis in March and August 2008 that swept their power away. For this reason I'm cloning this article here for the benefit of those who still can't access MT.]

Friday, August 29, 2008

In our bi-polar universe everything occurs in paired opposites, even star systems. Just as we're all aware of the value of balancing our yins and our yangs (our female and male aspects, for those who no spik Chinee; our warps and woofs, for those who speak only Caninese), the entire galaxy - perhaps the Whole Universe - is seeking to align and synchronize its inner and outer workings, particularly at auspicious junctures like NOW - when cycles micro and macro are converging and culminating in what Terence McKenna called "Singularity" (and the rest of us are happy to call plain old Oneness).

Just as every plug seeks a socket, stars too are seeking realignment and reconnection with their polar counterparts: Sirius (M) is beginning to recognize the Pleiades (F) as its stellar spouse. For as long as we can remember Sirius has dominated the Earth's northern hemisphere - the "upper" chakras - while Pleiadian energies have ruled the southern hemisphere - the "lower" chakras). Sirius claims paternity over earthian humanity and is constantly trying to mold us in its own image (that's where the patriarchal Elohim operate from, especially those emanating from IHVH, whose unruly stepchildren, the Anunnaki, colonized the planet and manufactured the Adamic race to perform menial tasks... but the genes mutated out of control!).

The Pleiades is a very complex star alliance comprising a bewildering assortment of evolutionary possibilities - hence, its influence is more "motherly" and not so dogma-bound.

Orion, I think, might be a gay system with a crush on Sirius - hence the close collaboration between these two stars in Egyptian lore. That fancy belt with three flashing rhinestones is a dead giveaway, even though they're supposed to be stargates!

So what about Arcturus? Well, I was greatly chuffed when I got hold of José Argüelles's Surfers of the Zuvuya in which he presents a star map depicted as a kabbalistic Tree of Life, showing Arcturus as the male aspect of Antares. Indeed, José talks about the Arcturus-Antares Midway Station - a sort of conference center serving the Milky Way - where souls assemble to discuss, well, galactic affairs. Many of us, José says, spend some of our sleeping hours "there" trading gossip and catching up on the real news - but have no memory of it when we "wake up."

Indeed, José Argüelles is so sure of his Arcturian origins he updated his calling card to read: "Valum Votan, Arcturian Minister" and his wife, Lloydine, became Bolon Ik (see their website www.tortuga.com). I don't doubt José's claim. If you've read any of his magnificent books, his intuitive grasp of cosmic science and math boggles the more female Lemurian-Pleiadian mind. Maybe Buckminster Fuller was from Arcturus too?

The native Maya - like the majority of indigenous tribes on earth - have a special connection with the Pleiades. So how does Arcturus fit into the Mayan Factor? My take on this is that the Arcturians brought their crystalline intelligence to bear on the Lemurian remnant by incarnating as their gods. So we have all these Pleiadian-seeded tribes worshiping Arcturian god-kings whose grasp of cosmic sciences and higher mathematics produced artifacts like Angkor Wat, the Easter Island heads, Tiahuanaco, Machu Picchu, and the great ziggurats of Central America.

My intuition informs me that Arcturians are incredibly technical intelligences - galactic engineers in charge of grid maintenance and repair. A clairvoyant friend who lives in Sodus, New York, told me (after I sent her a webcam view of Mount Shasta) that she dreamt she was deep within the bowels of Shasta where she witnessed the arrival of an Arcturian technical team, who proceeded to download a vast computer program into the subterranean crystal bank. She felt she was sent there to receive a copy of the program within her cells which she could then take to Magick River and download into the quartz banks below the Mother Fall. She took this mission very seriously and paid her own airfare in 1999 to accomplish the task. From Sodus, New York, to Magick River, Malaysia - just to install some dadfangled Arcturian software in the innards of the heart chakra portal! That's dedication for you. Anyway, her mission was successfully accomplished on April 12th, 1999 (I was there with one other witness). Amyras - that's her spiritual tag - informed me that there were vast numbers of nature spirits and guardians protecting the Mother Fall.

I had already felt that, but it was good to have it confirmed by a "pro." Since then, I've had quite a few psychics turn up who, without any prompting, immediately identified me as the guardian of the interdimensional portal at Magick River. Almost freaky - but, then, being an Antarean, I'm used to funny stuff like that happening.

Now, all this talk about Sirians and Pleiadians and Arcturians and Antareans might sound a tad complicated - but if you look at it as you would a history of North America, with a complex of indigenous tribes apparently overrun and colonized by bearded palefaces from across the sea (or outer space) - each with a different language and culture (Nordic, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, British, German, French, Russian, Jewish, Polish, etc) - then it's fairly obvious that what goes on in the heavens is reflected right here on earth. It's all holograms, folks. So if you're bored with the primate politics of planet Earth, help yourself to a refreshing dose of exopolitics!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia announced this morning that Anwar Ibrahim, the new member of parliament for Permatang Pauh, will be sworn in tomorrow.

Anwar makes his return to the House in grand style after an absence of ten years by winning the Permatang Pauh by-election yesterday with a majority of 15,671.

The de facto PKR leader is also expected to be appointed parliamentary opposition leader for the 82 Pakatan Rakyat MPs.

In April 2008 online opinion surveys indicated that approximately 66% of voters welcomed the idea of Anwar Ibrahim as the sixth prime minister of Malaysia.

There were many - Malays and non-Malays - who felt uneasy about Anwar. A few prominent bloggers habitually attacked Anwar and took every opportunity to erode voter confidence in the man. Their audience, obviously, were a large number of fence-sitters - people who voted against BN, but not necessarily for PKR in the March 8th elections.

By 16 August 2008 - Nomination Day at Permatang Pauh - online surveys indicated that the number of voters in favor of Anwar Ibrahim's ascension to the Malaysian premiership had reached the region of 96%.

Sodomy obviously sells. But the only ones who bought it were the ones already bought off by Embarisan Nazional, the erstwhile ruling coalition.

On Aug 26, five days before our 51st Merdeka, voters in Permatang Pauh went to vote for what they want - a better Malaysia for themselves and their children.

The outcome: they voted for the opposition candidate not by a small majority as predicted by many observers but by a resounding majority that shatters once and for all the many stereotypes held of the Malaysian electorate as fearful, docile, easy to manipulate, and captive to the racial fears stoked up by an opportunistic, cynical and increasingly out of touch and desperate Barisan Nasional coalition.

All Malaysians should salute the Malay voters especially as they were subject to intense pressure to vote for the Barisan candidate so as to safeguard “the future of the Malay race” and “Malay supremacy”.

Rejecting one of the most blatantly racist election campaigns run by the BN - one example was a widely disseminated flyer of a “babi (or pig) cabinet” coming into power should the PKR candidate win - turning a deaf ear to the smear and fear campaign waged against Anwar Ibrahim, his PKR colleagues and the Pakatan Rakyat parties; ignoring the mainstream mass media which again showed its true colours by largely churning out a torrent of propaganda extolling the present government and running down the opposition candidate, the great majority of this semi-rural constituency voted for a leader and for the Pakatan Rakyat coalition and their hope that through their vote, decency, good governance and good sense will be restored to our body politic and to the other major institutions subject to abusive and repressive BN control and influence.

All those who voted for the opposition party in Permatang Pauh may not be fully aware of the momentous ripple effects of their decision in the voting booth.

The election result is likely to intensify the infighting within the top Umno leadership with each faction blaming the other for the devastating scale of defeat. It could also widen the growing rift between Umno and the non-Malay BN coalition parties – the latter will surely be concerned at how the Permatang Pauh campaign was so much focused on the restoration of “Ketuanan Melayu a la Umno” and the Malay agenda.

Other ripple effects are an even larger question mark over BN’s grip on power in the country with the possibility of a snowballing loss of confidence in Umno’s ability to reform itself leading to a possible mass exodus of BN parliamentarians to the Pakatan side.

Fatal dent to Najib’s hopes

Finally, the decisive margin of victory achieved by Anwar - despite a considerable investment of time and personal attention put into the campaign by the Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to destroy Anwar’s political career – may put a fatal dent to Najib’s hopes of succeeding to the prime ministership position when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down.

The key issues pushed by the BN election machinery did not touch only on race and economy but they also focused on that of character – principally through the sodomy allegation against Anwar.

If Permatang Pauh is a gauge of the concerns of the larger Malay population on the character issue, it would appear that there are considerably more concerns with the moral deficiencies and lapses on the government side that those attributed to opposition figures and parties.

Whatever the larger macro political ripple effects arising from this by election results, Permatang Pauh voters should not be punished for exercising their democratic right to vote.

Continued neglect of the socio-economic and livelihood that beset many in the constituency; deliberate delay of development projects or malicious singling out of localities, kampungs, voters and their families for discriminatory action to penalise politically incorrect behaviour will not only be counterproductive but it will also reinforce the perception of many voters in Permatang Pauh and the rest of the country that the BN is beyond reform.

DR LIM TECK GHEE is former United Nations regional advisor and World Bank senior political scientist.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Word from the ground has it that Anwar Ibrahim has already won the Permatang Pauh by-election as at 1:55PM. We shall have to wait till all the votes are counted and the results announced to find out by what majority. No matter what the margin of victory, Anwar is already the MP for PP (People's Power) and automatically becomes the Opposition Leader - an important step towards Putrajaya!

My heartfelt congratulations to all who worked so hard to bring about this joyous moment in Malaysia's history.

Easy does it now in Permatang Pauh, folks. Everybody stay cool and focus on getting your vote in. You know who deserves your vote the most: that's right, you're voting for necessary change and the vision of new Malaysia where race and religion no longer divide and oppress the people. It matters less where we came from than where we're going as a nation.

27 years ago we watched ANWAR THE RISING STAR move up the ranks of Umno to become finance minister and deputy prime minister. 10 years ago we were treated to GET ANWAR! Today, in Permatang Pauh, Anwar Ibrahim's home seat, we witness the world premiere ofTHE RETURN OF ANWAR.

Dear God or Whatever You Prefer To Be Called These Days:
I'm not in the habit of publicizing my private thoughts,
But times are such that habits must be broken.
And so I will utter my innermost feelings
In the form of words,
Even though I know
That words are what imprison us
In mindsets of No Escape.

For I remain steadfast in my belief
That words spoken from the heart
Have the power to free us from
The evil clutches of political expediency.

It saddens me to see such beautiful, graceful beings
Caught in the deceit of cosmetic piety,
Enslaved by the ugly dictum - "Money Talks!"
Enfeebled by the lame excuse - "What to do?"
Disempowered by the abject fear of False Authority,
And disenfranchised from their own glorious destinies.

Grant unto us the clarity and wisdom
To understand that we have no grander gift
To bestow on our children than the freedom
To speak their heart's truth
Without fear of punishment.

Grant unto us the courage and the fortitude
To truly embody the lofty ideals we hold so dear;
Let us not falter in our inner struggle
To throw off the mental shackles of Greed and Fear,
For those are the twin towers of Tyranny.

Grant unto us a Vision of the Real.
Let us not be misled by cunning projections
From the debased minds of "economic experts"
Who advise us not to "rock the boat" of Status Quo;
And whose dire warnings are couched in grave tones of
"Security and Stability."

Remember: DIGNITY and INTEGRITY
Are the keys to the Divine Sanctum of the Self!

And since each Nation is but a collectivity of Selves,
My greatest duty to the land I love
Is to always seek to be true to myself;
And my true self tells me:
Bear not the yoke of feudal despots
A moment longer than you need.
There's room and board enough for everyone,
Once you cast the Vampires of Vitality
From their vacuous palaces erected by the sweaty toil
Of half-wit slaves, who know not half their worth.

This beautiful, gracious land is YOURS -
Not THEIRS! (Well, it COULD be theirs too,
If they'd only see themselves as YOU).
The Reality of Heaven on Earth will soon be here,
And to that we are ALL heirs.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Raja Petra Kamarudin, ex-biker with a legal background and genetic links to the Selangor royal household, was galvanized into taking political activism online in 1998 after Anwar Ibrahim's arrest and incarceration under the obnoxious Internal Security Act. He was webmaster of the first Reformasi website and was among the group of Anwar loyalists who founded Parti KeADILan with Wan Azizah as president. He subsequently went independent in 2004 and began a news portal called Malaysia Today.

It has since become one of the most visited sites for political news and gossip - attracting more than a million hits on certain days. Raja Petra (affectionately known as RPK) has attained "national hero" status with his fearless disclosures of shenanigans that were effectively covered up before the Digital Era precipitated an Information Revolution via independent news portals like Malaysiakini - and socio-political blogs proliferated like mushrooms after a lightning storm. RPK now faces a multitude of charges against him, but he remains unstoppable and untoppable as the nation's most powerful source of earth-shaking political scoops.

Although some say RPK is merely a good storyteller whose flair for embellishment tabloidizes his 'No Holds Barred' column and exposes him to endless lawsuits for defamation, it cannot be denied that his explosive revelations have had the cumulative effect of demolishing the hitherto invincible Barisan Nasional citadel, leaving the ruling party red-faced, bare-bottomed, private parts exposed to the world, and quaking uncontrollably in fear and anger. Yesterday RPK came out with yet another kick in the groin for deputy prime minister Najib Razak's dreams of succeeding Abdullah Badawi as Malaysia's next PM. Here's a juicy excerpt. Read the entire devastating revelation here.

I was introduced to this new Datuk. “Inilah Datuk Syed Rahman,” Datuk Kamal said as I shook hands with him. Datuk Kamal probably saw in my face that the name did not ring a bell. He looked Indian, as some Arabs do, and if I had not been told he was a ‘Syed’ I would have thought he was just another of those millions of Mamaks running around all over the country and making a nuisance of themselves.

“This is the Honorary Consul of Mongolia,” Datuk Kamal said. My face still did not show that I recognised this Arab. “You know, the Altantuya murder case.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Now I know whom this Datuk Syed Rahman is. He is that man always on TV beside Dr Shariibuu Setev, Altantuya’s father. I inched closer to Datuk Syed Abdul Rahman Alhabshi, now that I knew who he is.

“Interesting,” I said. “I’m sure you can tell me a lot about the Altantuya murder which the newspapers are not reporting.”

“That would be dangerous talking to you,” Datuk Syed Rahman replied. “You will quote what I say in Malaysia Today.”

“No, I won’t mention your name,” I joked. “I’ll just say the Honorary Consul of Mongolia who wishes to remain anonymous.” There was laughter all around the table.

Datuk Syed Rahman started off by saying that the IGP had called him and told him that if Najib ever becomes the Prime Minister then he had better leave the country. “But I don’t care. I have told the Mongolian government that I want to buy a piece of land there and move to Mongolia. I don’t mind even giving up my Malaysian citizenship and settle down in Mongolia. So I don’t care what they want to do to me.”

“Why not then reveal what you know?” I asked. “What is stopping you from talking?”

“It is not that I’m scared. It is just that the court case is going on so it would be sub judice for me to talk about the issue. Plus, as the Mongolian Consul, I need to be professional and not simply talk.”

Nevertheless he did talk, and talk a lot on top of that, after I assured him that nothing would be reported in Malaysia Today and that his name would not be mentioned.

But that was before this. Now that he has gone on national TV and has acted very unprofessionally and unbecoming of a man of his status by ‘spilling his guts’ and lying on prime-time TV, then my ‘deal’ with him is now off. He has opened his mouth and has ‘testified’ on TV about what he knows about the Altantuya murder. I was prepared to keep his secret as long as he too keeps his secret, secret. But since he has now revealed all, then I too should not be bound by any ‘official secrets’ since these secrets are no longer secrets.

Datuk Syed Rahman’s shocker was about them finding the remains of seven or eight people at the murder site. “What? Seven or eight people? You mean Altantuya was not the only one murdered and dumped at that site?”

“Those two UTK are assassins. Their job is to get rid of people. And that murder site is the place where they get rid of the bodies by blowing them up.”

“Wow! This is dynamite.” For once I was flabbergasted and there is very little that can shock me.

“Not dynamite. C4,” joked Datuk Syed Rahman.

“Tell me,” I moved closer to Datuk Syed Rahman. “Did Najib order her murdered?”

“No, not Najib, Rosmah. She ordered the murder.”

“What? Rosmah?” I could not believe it. Datuk Syed Rahman smiled; pleased that at least for once someone could shock Raja Petra who never normally gets shocked by anything.

Datuk Syed Rahman related in great detail what really happened. And what he related was a far departure from what transpired in the trial. Unfortunately, because commenting on an ongoing trial is considered sub judice and can attract a jail sentence, I am certainly not at liberty to also reveal in great detail what this Arab told me. And what he told me was very different from what he said on TV last night.

Maybe one day, when the trial is over, I will be ‘free’ to talk about what Datuk Syed Rahman revealed in the Dome of the Bangsar Shopping Center that day, more than a year ago. But whether I will be ‘free’ in the real sense of the word or whether I will be speaking from behind the high walls of the Sungai Buloh or Kajang Prison is left to be seen. Maybe, after 16 September 2008, I will know.

In the meantime stay tuned to learn more about what the Honorary Consul of Mongolia, Datuk Syed Abdul Rahman Alhabshi, revealed in 2007 in the Dome of the Bangsar Shopping Centre. The story is nothing short of what Hollywood movie scripts are made of.

Najib Swears In Guar Perahu Mosque He Did Not Know Or Had Connection With Altantuya

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Friday night swore in Masjid Jamek Guar Perahu near here that he did not know or had any connection with Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu who was murdered in 2006 in Puncak Alam, Selangor.

Najib said he was making the swearing although it was not an offical swearing made on the Quran.

"Wallahi, Wabillahi, Watallahi (With Allah as my witness) I swear I do not know or have any connection with the Mongolian woman," he said at the end of his speech at a ceremony to give aid of RM1.4 million at the mosque.

The aid is to repair, renovate and buy new equipment for eight mosques and 20 surau in the state constituency of Penanti.

"I do not know if others want to swear or not but I know I did no wrong. This is between me and God," he said.

Najib also made the same swearing by repeating the same words when he visited the Barisan Nasional (BN) operations room in Guar Perahu.

Meawnhile, Mongolia's honorary consul in Malaysia, Datuk Syed Abdul Rahman Al-Habshi who was also present, said: "Datuk Seri Najib's swearing is true and it is accepted that he has no connection with Altantuya."

Syed Abdul Rahman said when the murder happened he was the first Malaysian who knew of it and he was also the first to go to Mongolia to go over Altantuya's documents.

"I regret they feel they know more about the case. Anwar lied that he met Altantuya's father in Mongolia. At that time I knew Anwar was coming and took her father (Dr Shaariibuu Setev) to Russia," he said.

"No one knows more than me and Anwar had lied with several accusations against Najib," Syed Abdul Rahman said.

He said the reason he was present at the function was to clarify the confusion as Anwar's actions could affect the good relations between Malaysia and Mongolia and that he had been directed by Mongolia's Prime Minister Sanjaa Bayar to assist.

Syed Abdul Rahman said after he was appointed by the Mongolian prime minister to investigate the murder of Altantuya, he discovered that Najib had nothing to do with the case.

He said he felt responsible to clarify the matter as if he kept quiet "the people will be more confused as more lies will be made and I feel ashamed that a national leader's name who has no connection with the case has been tarnished by Anwar and Raja Petra."

"It is very shameful when our national leader's name is tarnished abroad as being involved in the case and that is why I have to clarify to the public about the lies that have been made," he said.

Anwar at each rally in campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election has been alleging Najib had links to Altantuya.

On July 3, at a news conference in Petaling Jaya chaired by Anwar, Balasubramaniam produced a statutory declaration that alleged Najib had sexual relations with Altantuya but the next day retracted it and subsequently went missing together with his family.

Raja Petra posted articles on his website alleging Najib was connected to her murder and he (Raja Petra) has since been charged in court for it.

The Altantuya murder hearing is ongoing at the Shah Alam High Court.

Najib also said Anwar's pledge to reduce fuel prices if he became prime minister was mere empty talk.

"That is the way he conducts politics... making all kinds of claims. But today the BN government delivered on this," he said.

Effective Saturday, the price of petrol (RON97) will be reduced by 15 sen to RM2.55 a litre from RM2.70, RON92 by 22 sen to RM2.40 a litre from RM2.62 and diesel by eight sen a litre to RM2.50 from RM2.58.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

NOTE: THIS ESSAY WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN 15 APRIL 2001. IT WAS UPDATED AND POSTED ON THIS BLOG ON 8 FEBRUARY 2007. I AM REPOSTING IT AS PART OF MY PERSONAL CAMPAIGN FOR REFORMASI VIA A SPECTACULAR WIN FOR ANWAR AND PAKATAN RAKYAT AT PERMATANG PAUH.

Only a decade or so ago people were looking forward to a great future - no matter what their outlook or worldview. Rich folk believed they were going to get even richer. Poor folk felt they had a fair chance of at least getting a bit of furniture in their homes and maybe their kids would be geniuses at school and be given full scholarships all the way. Industrialists eagerly anticipated taking over the action from flagging western economies; social activists and environmentalists formed themselves into energetic little NGOs and found their opinions gaining some ground. 1996 was a jolly time to be a Malaisean! People were buying computers for their kids and everyone was getting on the Internet.

True, some of us knew a lot of stupid, ugly stuff was going on in business and politics - like everywhere else - and that the government was in the hands of highly sophisticated hoodlums descended from the great space pirate lineages. But we thought that sooner or later enough citizens would awaken from their consumerist trance and restore a measure of accountability and democracy in government. All it would take is a sizeable middle-class with access to good information and proper education - and we were definitely getting there.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

The Asian Tigers suffered a collective stroke in July 1997. Overnight, currencies like the Thai Baht, the Malaysian Ringgit, and the Indonesian Rupiah were devalued by approximately 40%. The Icarus Effect kicked in: from being among the highest flyers in the Asia-Pacific Area, the wings of the Malaisean economy suddenly melted and we plummeted feetfirst towards terra firma and almost broke our spines when we landed on hard reality. But what was really badly bruised were the inflated egos of Malaisean prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and his wheeling-dealing Wild Bunch of Umnoputras (UMNO = United Malay Nationalist Organisation; Umnoputras = the swaggering political party leadership).

As long as the economic bubble was visibly expanding, nobody wanted to look too closely at the shenanigans and shady businesses underpinning the Malaisean success story. Nobody wanted to know how much had been borrowed from which banks by whom and how in hell they hoped to ever repay their astronomical debts. Nobody wanted to cut the administrative body open and figure out how many cans would be needed to hold the wriggling worms that had gorged themselves off the fat of the land for decades.

Suddenly finding his megalomanic dream of building his very own Evil Empire and turning Malaisea into his personal Death Star project thwarted, Mahathir's paranoia took a turn for the worse. He knew his hand-picked successor to the throne, the charismatic but enigmatic Anwar Ibrahim, was more than ready to take over his job. Anwar had the support of most of the younger generation and was already holding two important posts: deputy prime minister and finance minister.

Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin - Mahathir's invisible Grand Vizier, Undisputed Godfather of the Malaisean Mafia and Master Manipulator - saw the end of the Mahathir era rapidly approaching. With his entrepreneurial protégés all facing bankruptcy proceedings, Daim couldn't survive a sea change in party leadership. So he came up with a plan to discredit Anwar and stop him from cracking down on corrupt party members with heavy business connections. They would circulate rumours that Anwar was a freestyle fornicator with a penchant for anal sex and thereby force his resignation.

The plan backfired (pun unintended) when Anwar refused to take the money and run. Instead, he turned around and openly challenged Mahathir for the nation's top job. On September 2nd 1998, Mahathir sacked Anwar. Thousands of sympathizers flocked to Anwar's residence pledging their support. In less than three weeks, Anwar was leading protest processions through the streets of Kuala L'impure, the national capital. Some say the crowds reached as high as 80,000; others estimate the numbers at no more than 40,000. In any case, Anwar Ibrahim's unceremonious dismissal inspired the largest gatherings of dissenters in Malaisean history. The velvet glove was removed and Mahathir ordered Anwar's arrest on the evening of September 20th 1998.

Since that shameful night the entire country has been plunged into moral darkness. All the excesses and weaknesses of the system have been grossly magnified; all the leaks are letting in water like crazy (and even the pipes are leaking!). There's no more pretense at democracy. The well-behaved press has been further intimidated into serving as mere conduits for government propaganda.

Over the 22 years of his beady-eyed and heavy-handed rule, Mahathir quietly castrated the royals, offering them a handsome share of the Big Business ball game as compensation while securing his own financial dynasty through his children á la Suharto of Indonesia.

By now Mahathir was the uncrowned Emperor of Malaisea - dubbed Mahafiraun (Great Pharaoh) by his detractors in Umno. When the people demonstrated, a snarling Mahathir (as home minister) greeted them with water cannons and tear gas. His specially trained goons infiltrated street marches and sparked off rioting, thereby giving the police an excuse to crack down hard on the young hotheads calling for the prime minister's resignation.

On the night of his arrest Anwar Ibrahim was brutally assaulted by the Inspector General of Police. Anwar's associates were picked up and tortured into signing affidavits claiming they had been sodomized by the erstwhile deputy prime minister. Highly paid, well-dressed witnesses came forth and denounced Anwar as a profligate. The trial judge declared all evidence of a political conspiracy irrelevant - and pressed on relentlessly for a guilty verdict on a ludicrous charge of corruption which was delivered on April 14th 1999. Anwar was given a 6-year prison term after having been held in custody for nearly 7 months without bail. The whole thing stank.

[On August 8th 2000, Anwar Ibrahim was found guilty of sodomy by another kangaroo court and sentenced to an additional 9 years behind bars! If he had been charged in a Syariah or Islamic Court, Anwar would most likely have been acquitted, as Syariah Law states that accusations of sexual indiscretion must be corroborated by four male witnesses of indisputable integrity who must swear that they saw the deed with their own eyes!]

And this reek of evil has permeated every facet of Malaisean society. Indeed we are in grave danger of getting inured to abuse of power and moral indecency in high office. It's truly a wonder that one wicked uncle and his gang of trained hyenas could have systematically corrupted the police force, the judiciary - indeed, the entire machinery of governance, including the mass media. The only avenue of dissent left open is the Internet. To win a victory in the streets we'd need 250,000 assembled in Freedom Square. They'd have to call out the army - and, hopefully, the troops will join the people in demanding a whole new government founded on decency, justice, freedom, and truth.

The key to power has long been Divide & Rule. Mahathir is a past master at the game, pitting different ethnic interests against each other, stirring up petty quarrels within each faction, capitalizing on the base human emotions of fear and greed. Without access to the mass media, opposition groups find themselves preaching to the converted. When it comes down to it, most Malaysians still vote with their bellies, not their conscience. By banning 680,000 newly registered voters from the general election on November 29 1999 (in addition to the usual bribery and fraud) Mahathir managed to steer his regime to a narrow victory with a mere 105,000 vote margin. But that was enough to buy him and his business associates a little more time.

Time in which to cover their financial backsides and wear down all political opponents. "We're bullish on bouncing back!" screamed the press advertisements. "Economic recovery expected with 6 months!" boasted the well-connected pundits. Well, wander around KL and see how many public phones you can find that actually work. Check out the public transport system and see how many sweaty commuters can fit into a single overworked bus. Find out how many factory workers and construction crews have been retrenched and repatriated to Bangladesh and Indonesia. How many Filipina maids have been harassed and sent packing. These are the real indicators of the Malaisean economy - and they don't look too good. All the energy and power is concentrated within a tiny segment of society; less and less of it trickles down to the masses these days. Essential services like electricity, water, and telecommunications have all been privatized (more precisely, piratized) - and even education and health care are headed that way.

When Pak Lah stepped in as prime minister after Mahathir's compulsory retirement (Umno stalwarts could see that Dr M, like G.W. Bush today, had become a liability to his own political party), it appeared that we had underestimated the man. It was refreshing to see a PM with less of an ego problem who seemed a great deal more open to public opinion and learned advice. Indeed, by releasing Anwar Ibrahim from Sungei Buloh Prison, Pak Lah effectively took the wind out of Opposition sails. People had little anger left to discharge and gladly returned to business-as-usual.

Now, a little more than three years after Pak Lah took over, we are seeing age-old problems re-emerge - problems that have never been courageously faced and resolved once and for all. The notorious ISA and OSA remain in place to prevent hardnosed investigators from unmasking corruption and abuse of power at its source. Samy Vellu is still in cahoots with corporate highwaymen and threatening to jail anybody who reveals his secret deals with greedy concessionaires. Sensational scandals have raised many unanswered questions, and rumors implicating prominent ministers are rife. In an era when presidents and prime ministers find themselves charged with war crimes, genocide, corruption, deceit, and rape - cold-blooded murder would be just another high-profile scandal. But, unless justice is seen to be done, it could cause the ruin of an entire country. Intimidating bloggers and whistle-blowers can only postpone the inevitable.

Socially, Malaiseans are fast becoming a bunch of self-serving ruffians. We have the ethical integrity of a gnu in heat. Nobody trusts the police. Everyone has at least one cousin or uncle who's turned to crime just so he can support his family. Or drug habit. Young people with ideas are forced underground, linking up with international anarcho-punk networks. Older artists and theatre practitioners have sold out - or dropped out. The best writers in the country have a hard time finding publishers who can offer a straight deal. Nobody has the money to fund a feature film - unless the plot is absolutely banal and the script insults human intelligence. True, a few adventurous souls have recently begun making powerful personal statements with low-budget digicam movies. But mediocrity and malice continue to rule with an iron hand in poor, benighted Malaisea. All it takes is one evil-minded nincompoop with access to the Malay press to get adventurous films banned, and a popular film club shut down.

Indeed we seem to be in the cultural and spiritual doldrums. The mental atmosphere is stagnant, and everywhere you turn there's a toxic stench of putrefaction and industrial pollution. The rainforests are almost non-existent now and so is the political will to conserve the environment. Indigenous tribes are being driven off their traditional lands and forced to take their place as society's lowest stratum. Their dignity and freedom - which is all they own - is being confiscated. The rest of us lost ours ages ago.

IS THERE REALLY NO HOPE FOR US?

To answer this we have to sit back, relax, and look at the Big Picture. The deadly drama playing out in Malaisea is a hologram of the spiritual crisis facing all humanity. No system of governance exists today that can stand up to thorough scrutiny; all of it ultimately leads to Big Brotherism or one of its many permutations - despotism, totalitarianism, fascism, nazism. In short, the New World Odor - yup, the familiar stench of the old feudal hierarchies, thinly concealed as the Corporate Superstate.

The only way to deflect this life-denying reality from taking complete possession of our destinies as autonomously evolving individuals with free wills is to reconnect with our inner selves and scan our deep memories for corrupted files. Clear out our neural circuits and regain our youthful innocence, so we can once again look at the twinkling stars and wonder what they are - if not our true origins. That's right, folks. We have to get cosmic and quit rolling around in our own mental excrement, trapped in our claustrophobic pigpen 3D realities. We have to get multidimensional and stay heart-centred - because our heads are too dead to appreciate the awesome mystery of life.

But first things first: we have to remove reactionary politicians from high office; yank them all out like rotten teeth. Or their poison will go to our brains and kill us in our prime.

We were born as an independent sovereign nation, a secular democratic state on 31 August 1957. In a week’s time we celebrate our 51st Hari Merdeka. Actually, there is very little to celebrate. After 51 years of Alliance/BN rule we have sunk low on all fronts as a nation. It is time to take stock and evaluate intelligently why as a nation we are going downhill in all fields of national endeavour, says our special correspondent, in this message to the voters of Permatang Pauh.

National Unity

Despite the loyalty and patriotism displayed by the rakyat, the Umno-dominated government, despite its platitudes and pronouncements, has made a mockery of national unity, which is so crucial to our survival as a nation. After 8 March, Umno has unmasked itself and shown its true colours as a racist, Islamo-fascist party confirmed by its Ketuanan Melayu, Malay hegemony and Malay supremacy stance. Umno’s ideas of race supremacy and the importance of only one race seems to have been borrowed from defeated World War II western leaders. Their use of Islam apparently to deaden Malay intellect and rationality is what Karl Marx called “the opiate of the people.” It is clear that the Malay rakyat must escape from the clutches of Umno, which for 50 years has exploited and manipulated them, to join other Malaysians to achieve national unity.

Economic development

The economy is not doing well at all because of BN’s screwed-up policies. A rich nation abundant in resources, a multi-talented population and an industrious labour force could have placed us well on the road to economic progress and development - but it was not to be. Lack of international confidence has placed us sixth among 10 Asean nations in attracting FDI. Indonesia and Vietnam have overtaken us. Umnoputras hijacked the NEP to enrich themselves and amass great wealth at the expense of the poor rakyat while the so-called half-past-six PM initiated unsound mega projects, which literally bankrupted the country. Overpriced public projects awarded to the Umnoputras and their cronies without any tender process enriched them and earned huge “commissions” for the decision-makers or their cronies.

Bad governance

The Umno-dominated BN government has been bad, thoroughly bad. Bad governance is everywhere to see – many political leaders at all levels are deemed to be corrupt, unethical and immoral; the civil service is perceived to be, and in many instances, corrupt and inefficient; sections of the police force are not only inefficient and allegedly corrupt but brutal on the rakyat. An armful of draconian laws is used to protect the powers-that-be and there is the scandal-ridden judiciary to provide additional umbrage.

There is a total lack of transparency and accountability in government. For example, Petronas accounts are not subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The privatisation of public utilities such as Telekom, PBA, Tenaga and Pos Malaysia has eroded the wealth of the nation. Some of these entities were grossly undervalued and sold to Umnoputras and their cronies for a pittance. Let me just quote an example – Telekom, a monopoly. Its shares were sold at RM4. When it was listed in the KLSE it went for RM14.50 a share – a clear profit of RM10 per share. We know where the 10 million shares allotted to MIC went. MCA was alloted 35 million and to whom did this go? Umno got 55 million and the Malay rakyat should find out to whom they went. PLUS meanwhile is taking road-users for a ride with exorbitant tolls. The concession agreements are classified as official secrets and the rakyat will never know the terms.

Corruption

The implementation of the NEP created golden opportunities for Umnoputras and their cronies to enrich themselves. The NEP was successfully hijacked by Umnoputras and their cronies who cleverly masqueraded as champions of bangsa and ugama, pulled wool over the eyes of the rural Malays, and exploited and manipulated them to amass great wealth in the name of the Malay community. They ravaged our dear land mercilessly through generous pink form share allocations, APs, generous business and taxi licences, over-priced public projects, and privatisation of public entities.

Voters of Permatang Pauh, indeed all Malaysians, must ask which Umno/BN cabinet minister, MB, CM, MP or State Assembly member is not rich. The relatives and family members of PMs became multi-millionaires. Some of them went into lucrative businesses apparently without knowledge and any business acumen. They took the profits; in many cases, when they failed taxpayers’ money was used to settle their debts! Some borrowed billions from the banks - which they did not repay. A half-past-six PM conveniently got the banks to classify them as NPL (Non-Performing Loans). Bank Negara kept interest rates on savings very low to enable the banks to recover what was borrowed by the thieves. The banks could not recover the loans through litigation and the identities of the borrowers have been kept secret. Bank Negara’s annual report indicates a lump sum under NPL. It is the borrowers – real crooks – who did not perform! The losers – the rakyat.

One just needs to look at their lifestyles - their palatial mansions, some indecently standing out like sore thumbs in poor kampung neighbourhoods, their expensive cars, their designer clothes and the overseas holidays they enjoy for confirmation of their crimes. For far too long the rakyat has tolerated the indecent flaunting of wealth acquired at the rakyat’s expense. It is time to kick the whole bunch of them out. The income differential in the Malay community among all Asian communities is the widest. What better confirmation that the Malay rakyat has been mercilessly shortchanged than the Minister for Rural Development (once caught for smuggling currency) promising the rural Malays basic amenities by 2011! Can you believe that this was the same promise made to the same people during the first general election in 1959? Umno politics is seriously money politics and it has become part of the DNA make-up of Umnoputras. Those who hold high office at all levels of government have bought themselves into those positions. This cancer of corruption has spread perniciously into every level of the political, governmental and social fabric of society. The loss to the rakyat is incalculable. Because it is beneficial to those who walk the corridors of power, this cancer is permitted to fester but it will ultimately destroy the nation if no change is brought about."INDEPENDENT" INSTITUTIONS

The Judiciary

The judiciary is in a mess, indeed it is a joke by any standards. The Lingamgate affair revealed the corruption within and the horrendous Executive manipulation of the judiciary. An independent judicial commission to appoint judges will not happen unless there is a change of government. The BN leaders realise that an independent judiciary will sound the death knell of many BN politicians from top to bottom.

The ACA

This is another institution that is a great joke because of its ineffectiveness and selective persecutions. It is under the thumb of the Executive and has become a dreaded tool to be used against the opposition and against BN members who fall out of line. BN leaders such as Dr M, the currency smuggler, and compliant ex-chief judges are beyond the reach of the ACA. It has become another BN tool to intimidate and put fear in opponents and critics. If it becomes independent there would not be enough prisons to house these BN crooks!

The Election Commission

The EC and its Chairman behave like imbeciles in asserting the powers granted to them under the Constitution to conduct free and fair elections. They have for a long time been allegedly manipulated to grant the BN unfair, indeed illegal, advantages be it gerrymandering, the use of non-transparent ballot boxes, mysterious postal ballots and the non-use of indelible ink to eliminate phantom voters.

The Police

The BN’s use of the police and now the army to ensure rule by law and not rule of law is frightening. The role of the Inspector-General and other top police officers in Sodomy I, which collapsed in court, is clear proof of this. Now we are witnessing the same thing in Sodomy II. A poor fellow was persuaded to do things like swearing on the Koran, which is haram in Islam! Dr M, who possessed a diabolical talent for apparently ruining the country and is now seen as a discredited and discarded politician, said that Malaysia has become a police state. For once he spoke the truth.

In what way is our police force different from those in other dictatorships that persecute political opponents and their supporters? The police in Malaysia – when they get a whiff of a protest, real or imagined, put up road-blocks hours in advance of the supposed protest, causing massive traffic jams, inconveniencing the rakyat and disrupting business. The opposition is then blamed for all these! Can you imagine putting a police and military ring round Parliament House? Is Malaysia a democracy or dictatorship?

They are supposed to maintain law and order and ensure equality of treatment under the laws. The brutality used on the ‘Bersih’ and ‘Hindraf’ peaceful protesters was appalling and it was there for the whole world to see. Their expertise appears to lie in the cruel use of tear gas and water-cannon on peaceful protesters and opposition supporters, not on crime prevention. The same expertise was not used on the many Umno-organised demonstrations or those organised by Muslim fanatics since 8 March. In the recent episode at the Bar Council forum, those who broke the law were escorted by the police to get the organisers to call off the forum – that was a real disgrace to our country.

Isn’t it a shame that those who tell the truth have to flee the country but those in high places who tell lies and are allegedly involved in all sorts of immoral and criminal activities such as groping a bar-girl live happily ever after. I appeal to the voters in Permatang Pauh to not only save the country from ruin but also heal the many wounds inflicted on it by a power crazy, corrupt and inefficient Umno-dominated BN government.

Education

The education system is rotten to the core. “Education is an absolute disaster” and “racism runs deep” said Zaid Ibrahim, our law minister. The BN claims that our education system is advanced but the UN report on education indicated our low quality with a warning that compared to others around us we are bound to lose our competitiveness. Many children of our BN leaders are overseas, many on scholarship, thus robbing those who really need scholarships.

The education system has adversely affected Malaysians, especially the Malays. Umno has brainwashed many Malays into thinking that meritocracy is disadvantageous to them. Competition is discouraged. The behaviour of the UiTM students opposing a 10 per cent non-Malay student enrolment is proof of what Umno can do to destroy quality. The mere mention of the word “meritocracy” sends Umnoputras into a paroxysm of fear. Under globalisation, we need to produce global professionals to ensure economic survival. The Malays will be left behind if they do not wake up to what Umno is doing to them.

Dear Permatang Pauh voters, there have been some important by-elections before but none as important as the one on 26 August. The Constitution has been amended about 600 times to take away the most precious provisions to ensure life, liberty, freedom and the rule of law. A vote for Pakatan Rakyat is a vote for change. Help the nation to reclaim its birthright – its inalienable rights destroyed by the Alliance/BN government over the last 51 years. A massive vote for Anwar will put this sad nation on the right path to unity, development and respectability among the proud community of nations.

In Greek history, there was the Oracle of Delphi which was consulted before anything of national importance was undertaken. The Oracle always equivocated and those who consulted it had to interpret the prognostication correctly. Failure to do so would result in disaster. A man decided to prove the Oracle wrong on the spot. He clutched a little bird in his fist with only its beak showing between his thumb and forefinger and asked the Oracle, “Is the bird dead or alive?” If the Oracle answered “Alive,” he would squeeze the bird dead; if the answer was “Dead” he would let the bird fly to prove it is wrong. The Oracle’s answer was, “The bird’s life is in your hands.”

Dear voters in Permatang Pauh, the life of the nation is in your hands. Never before and, I believe, never again will such a great honour, indeed such a great responsibility, be accorded to a single constituency to decide the political future of our nation. I hope and pray that the voters in Permatang Pauh will rise to the challenge and not let a hopeful nation down. A very huge vote for Anwar will be the best mandate for change.